Nihad Awad, a top figure at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), recently made headlines for expressing satisfaction over the October 7th terrorist attack on Israel.

This statement came during his speech at the 16th Annual Convention for Palestine in the U.S., held near Chicago.

Awad openly said, “The people of Gaza only decided to break the siege — the walls of the concentration camp — on Oct. 7. And yes, I was happy to see people breaking the siege and throwing down the shackles of their own land and walk free into their land that they were not free to walk in.”

This comment indicates his support for the actions of Gaza residents and reflects his stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

He also touched on the controversial topic of self-defense, claiming that while the people of Gaza have the right to defend themselves, Israel, as an occupying power, does not.

This statement shows a clear bias in how he views the rights of each party in the conflict.

In addition, Awad accused the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) of having control over the U.S. government and Congress, saying, “AIPAC and its affiliates have been controlling the United States government and the United States Congress.”

This allegation suggests that U.S. foreign policy might be influenced by external interests.

Regarding the Democratic Party, Awad criticized President Biden’s approach towards Israel and Hamas, indicating that younger Democrats feel betrayed by the administration’s stance.

He argued that this betrayal goes against the aspirations of young Americans wanting the U.S. to be a moral leader in global affairs.

Fox News Digital reached out to CAIR for more information, but only received a general statement from Awad, provided by Deputy Executive Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell.

In this statement, Awad condemned bigotry, violence against civilians, and claimed his remarks were taken out of context by a website opposed to Muslim and Palestinian causes.

Awad clarified his October 7th comments, explaining he was happy not about the terrorist attacks but about Gazans’ symbolic defiance against the blockade.

He distinguished between peaceful protestors and those who committed violent acts.